VENEZUELA:

Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Fernando
Gerbasi supported Canada's call for the various actors in the
process to have the opportunity to participate in the CSD.
Governments need to promote their participation in the CSD without
abrogating their responsibility as governments. He agreed with
Germany on the importance of thematic meetings. Venezuela is
establishing a national commission on sustainable development.
UNCTAD and GATT should ensure that ecology is not used for
protectionism. He said that an important topic is the generation of
new, environmentally sound technologies and noted Venezuela's
sponsorship of the Bolivar Project that promotes national
technological developments.